Circuit closer for knitting machines



Nov. 7, 1939. M. WACHSMAN 2,173.930

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

NOV. 7, 1939. w c s 2,178.980

CIRCUIT CLOSER FOR KNITTING MACHINES Filed May 5, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I'IE E IN V EN TOR.

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Patented Nov. 7, 1939 UNETE STATES PATENT @FFECE 3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in electric circuit closers for knitting machines of the type disclosed in the Reissue Patent 19,069, February 6, 1934, and in the Patent 1,784,560, December 9, 1930, to Jacob Wachsman. Generally speaking such circuit closers include a knot detector member and an end detector member which are combined or used separately for the purposes of closing an electric circuit when knot occurs in the yarn or when the yarn breaks or runs out. The closing of the circuit in turn actuates the stop mechanism per se which is a part of the knitting machines. Such detector units, their function and operation are well known in the art.

The object of my invention is to improve the detector units generally with a view of more efficient operation and greater range of use. One object of the invention is to provide detector members in the form of porcelain disks or disk like members with the advantages of greater cleanliness, better appearance and greater adaptability for use both as knot detectors and end detectors and as tension devices. Another object is to provide end detector units which may be mounted in such a position and so operated that electrical conducting rings and like parts, heretofore thought necessary, are no longer required. Other objects will appear as this specification proceeds.

Accordingly my invention is embodied in electric circuit closers, including tension devices, which are arranged and constructed as hereinafter set forth and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which,

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Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic View of a detector unit and bobbin supporting device adapted to be attached to a circular knitting machine.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of an end detector unit and yarn tensioning device shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a side view thereof.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged end View of a combined knot and end detector unit.

Fig. 5 is a face view looking from the left in Fig.

. 4 with parts removed.

Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken on the lines 6% and 'l-'l of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a view of a modified end detector disk or member.

The device shown in Fig. 1 is sometimes called a stop motion top because it is attached at the top of or above a circular knitting machine. The device includes a central rotating shaft 1 which by any suitable well known means is attached to the central rotating shaft or part of a knitting machine. Such connecting means are not shown, being well known in the art. The shaft I carries four sets of radial arms 2, 3, 4 and 5 for the support of circuit closer units 6, end detector units 1 and the yarn bobbins 8 as shown. Each unit includes a contact box which comprises a box with a fixed circuit terminal H. Inside the box there are contact springs connected to the terminal l l. The springs are adapted to be contacted by contact heels secured to the knot detector and to the end detector members so that when a knot occurs or the yarn breaks contact is made to close the circuit.

In Fig. 2 the contact spring i2 is a simple spring to be contacted by the contact heel l3. In Figs. 5, 6, and 7 the contact spring is formed with two fingers l4 and 15 to be contacted by contact heels Hi and ll respectively.

Referring now to Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the end detector units 7 each consist of the contact box H3 with terminal H and contact spring 12. The contact heel is is fast on a sleeve 25 carried by a detector shaft 26 held in fixed axial relation to box it by a collar 21. The sleeve carries a detector disk 28 which is preferably a circular porcelain member provided with a slot 29. Below the disk 28 there is an eye plate disk 39 secured to the shaft 26 and provided with a thread opening 3|. Above the disk 28 there is another disk 32 secured to the shaft 25. The disk 32 has a slot 33 in the opposite direction to the aforesaid slot 29. The thread opening 3i permits free passage of the yarn except when a knot or other obstruction occurs in the yarn which cannot pass through said opening.

The shaft 26 is held in nonrotatable relation to the box by a collar 34. The sleeve 25 is loose on the shaft and a spring 35 in the box urges the contact heel I3 into contact with the spring l2. The yarn 49 passes from the bobbin 8 up through the yarn opening 31 and is then passed through the slots 29 and 33 and up to the units 6. The arrangement is such that while the thread passes through the three disks al, 23 and 32 the middle disk 28 is prevented by the thread from turning clockwise in Fig. 2 so far that the contact heel it can engage the spring l2 to close the circuit. When however, the thread breaks above or below the unit I, the thread no longer oflers any resistance to the turning of the disk 28. The latter is then rotated by the pull of the spring 35 so that the heel l3 contacts the spring 12 to close the circuit as will be understood. On the other hand, while the thread passes through the three porcelain disks, the disk 28 functions as a tension member because the spring 35 tends to pull the thread out of alignment with the upper and lower openings 3| and 33.

The upper and lower detector units l are alike and self-containing to close the circuit. The upper units 'l are mounted on the arms 3 as shown in Fig. 1 and the lower units 7 are mounted on the arms at an angle to accommodate the thread as it comes down from an eye plate ii and before it passes to the knitting mechanism, not shown.

It is understood of course that all the contact boxes iii are connected by wires 42 to a magnet 43 and battery 44. When the circuit is closed in any of the boxes the magnet is energized to actuate the lever 45 or other member which in turn operates the stop control of the knitting machine.

Referring now to Figs. 4-7 which illustrate the combined knot and end detector units 6, see Fig. l, the contact box it in Fig. is shown with its cover removed. It supports a rotatable shaft to which the contact heel ll inside the box is fixed. Outside the box the shaft carries end detector disk 5i by means of a nipple 5d. The disk M is directly behind the knot detector disk 52 in Fig. i. The diskliil is carried by a nipple 56 which rotates on the shaft 59. A second knot detector disk is also supported on the shaft by means of a nipple The two nipples 5S and E i are connected by a wire yoke so that the two knot detector disks 52 5's turn together on the shaft 53. The nipple 5 2 extends within the box it and carries the contact heel i6. All three porcelain disks 52, 5! and iii-J have yarn enclosure openings 58 and yarn supporting noses 59.

In operation the yarn Mi lies upon the disk noses 59 of the three disks. The two knot detector disks are held in upper normal circuit open position by the spring 35 which pulls a stop til in the sleeve tie against the wall of the box. When a knot occurs the yarn can no longer pass through the thread opening 3! in the eye plate disk Si! and run upwards to the disks and over the yarn supporting noses 59. The pull upon the yarn from the needle mechanism continues however and the disks are therefore caused to rotate anticlockwise and the sleeve contact it then engages the spring M to close the circuit. The yarn slips 011? the disk noses and the spring 35 then pulls the knot detector disks back to normal position while the end detector disk is pulled upwards in clockwise direction by a second spring iii. The contact ll then also engages the spring it but this is of no consequence the circuit already having been closed.

When the thread breaks or runs out the end detector disk ill is immediately moved into circuit closing position by the spring iii to close the circuit and stop the machine. The nipples 55, and are squared on the outside as shown to fit corresponding square openings in the porcelain disks. This makes for easy attachment.

During operation the thread travels upward up over the three noses in the disks and then down as shown in Fig. 1. The knot detector disks are held relatively immovable by the spring although the spring is adjusted so as to avoid complete rigidity and the disks will yield to some extent to the pull of the thread. The end detector disk is constantly urged in a clockwise direction in Fig. 4 by its spring 6! and tends to lift the thread off the knot detector disks to prevent the thread from jumping off and to take up slacks. By using a single design for the disk, uniformity in manufacture, weight and the like is assured. Still another factor is that in threading the disks the yarn is simply dropped upon the front round surfaces or portions 62 and then slides easily downward into position.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modification in which the end detector disk 5! is provided with an adjustable weight 63 as a substitute for the spring 6|. The springs in all the boxes are adjustable by screws 64.

It will be seen therefore that this invention provides detector units and tension devices in which the members under the control of the travelling thread may be made very much alike in the form of porcelain disk members which require but a few forms for casting or making. Each unit is easy to thread and in only one instance it is necessary to thread the end of the yarn through an opening namely in the eye plate 39. The two disks 28 and in the units '1 are threaded by moving the thread sidewise into the slots and The detector units 6 are threaded by dropping the thread on the disks.

Although the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form it will be understood that it is susceptible of modification and changes without departure from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A circuit closer unit for knitting machines under the control of a travelling thread comprisii housing, electric circuit terminal. fingers the housing. a plurality of contact heels -ahin the housing, three thread supporting .celain disks outside the housing, means optively connecting the middle disk with one of ct heels, means operatively connecting two disks with another contact heel 11 said disks are moved by an ab- .tion of the thread, the said contact .5 are operated to contact the said terminal is to close the electric circuit.

2. A circuit closer unit for knitting machines under the control of a travelling thread comprising a housing, electric circuit terminal fingers within the housing, a shaft rotatably supported on the housing and having a contact heel within the same adapted to contact one of said terminal fingers, a disk-shaped thread supporting member secured to the shaft outside the housing, a disk-shaped thread supporting member on each side of the said first disk-shaped thread supporting member and supported to rotate about the shaft and means operatively connecting the said two disk-shaped members to another contact heel whereby when one or more of said diskshaped members are rotated by an abnormal operation of the thread supported thereby, one or both of said contact heels are operated to contact their respective terminal fingers.

3. In a circuit closer unit for knitting machines under the control of a travelling thread, means for closing the electric circuit when the thread breaks or a knot occurs therein, said means including as an article of manufacture a porcelain disk having a thread enclosing opening and a thread supporting nose, and an adjustably supported counterweight in said disk in diametrically opposed relation to the said opening.

MICHAEL VIACHSMAN. 

